PPS~ I WAS 187 WHEN I BEGAN THIS RESTART AND WEIGHED IN AT 185.5 :cheer:

Morning all,
Nae, thank you for that information on backs and necks and crunches. I do a lot of them myself. I can feel the muscles under the flab. They are definitely there. I find that the Swiss Ball 'crunches' are better than those on the floor since the muscles have to work to keep you balanced on the ball and also to perform the movements. Also smaller movements seem to produce a greater output on the ball.
Never apologise for being happy. Happiness is all too often missing in our daily lives.
Those wood form cutouts certainly give out a message. I can remember back when my folks were living and they lived in a small town just off a long straight stretch of highway. The local cop was fed up with the number of idiots who thought it was a speedway and regularly crashed and maimed and killed themselves and other road users, so he erected a large white painted wooden cross for each death at the point of impact on the sides of the road. There were 27 in all, 6 of them in one large group where a bunch of uni students had come to grief on a bend. It was only a 12 kilometre stretch of road and 27 white crosses certainly make an impact - if for only a short period of time.
42 Below is available in the States, however it may not be at your local bottleshop. You may have to search to find it. It has won many prestigious awards and is sold in Soho House in New York as the house vodka. I can find it in most bottle shops over here - even the country stops.

Mel - you forgot to mention the vice grip and drag that the stranger puts on your poor ol' boob trying to get you into something that is built for a 6.7" amazon person. Your feet leave the floor and tears come to the eyes.

Happy - I should have said - Get to Work and not Get to Bed. It was me that should have been in bed - as Mel so rightly pointed out.

So today is another round with the ceiling - all the time thinking nasty thoughts about builders. I think this is Round 36 and it is evens so far. Either the ceiling will win and I will be thrown into a cell and the key will be thrown away - or I will win and the ceiling will come into line and we shall live happily ever after. Place your bets. Then the electrician is coming some time this morning as well. I'm looking forward to that part being done. I want to have some ceiling fans and downlights installed and a couple of new power points. I actually prefer ceiling fans to the aircon. It's not always hot enough to run the aircon, and the fans move the air around just enough to create a bit of a breeze. They are also quite handy for drying clothes on a wet day - lay the clothes out on the airer in the evening, go to bed and voila all clean, dry clothes in the morning.
Then I guess I need to get on with some more party organisation. It is only a week to until the family starts descending on Aus. Watch out for high wind gusts and loud noises as we all start to get together. Suzi, you have been warned. I have to get in touch with DB2 soon and tell him that we will be having a 'family reunion' on the 4th of November (undisclosed how many of the family will be there) and some family portraits. We thought of it in all ways and this was the best we could come up with. If we do anything like deviating from the norm, DB2 will smell a rat and take a well earned vacation in Parabadoo or somewhere else inaccessible. The rest will arrive an hour or so later - let the festivities begin. It will be the first time the four of us - DB's 1 & 2, DS + me - will have been together since Mum died 7 years ago. We are all getting older and who knows what lies around the corner.

So have a great day. I'll catch you all later.

Okay - I have just got down from the roof cavity. It's a scary place. Anyway - that clamp is getting tighter. There is not only a lack of nails in that part of the ceiling, there is also a lack of timber. The ends of the plasterboard ceiling sheets are just rubbing together in space. Hallelujah. Wonder where else this wonderful bit of building is happening?? So, it's back to hardware heaven for some building timber today and fit in some more bracing in the ceiling. Next time I get up there, I'll chuck down some more of the junk that appears to be living up there as well.
Okay - another day with the drill, saw and screws begins.

:hb: :wave: :joker: :cb: :bravo: :cp: :gift: :dance: :flow1: :dancer: :flow2: :grouphug: :woo: :wizard: :balloons: :lucky: :encore: :cheer2: :woohoo: :congrat:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS MADCAT!! HOPE TOMORROW'S BIRTHDAY IS WONDERFUL AND FULLL IF GOOD BIRTHDAY WISHES!!

:hb: :hb: :hb: :hb: :hb: :hb: :hb: :hb: :hb: :hb:
Happy birthday to you dear mrs madcat! I hope today is truly special and you have a wonderful time away. I will be thinking of you.

You have all been busy once again and I am looking outside at work at a very grey day.:rain: It's a good place to be inside. I am not so eager to leave work today. I think it might have had something to do with the weekends festivities last week that made me so restless. Today is better.
Started the day well at the Gym. It is so good haveing DH as a partner. Today i could have slept through and snuggled my way into the morning but I sprouted out of bed and hopefully did some damage in the battle of the flab!

Shad ...ekk that's all very scary getting up in the ceiling and trying to fix it. Are you going to try and do it yourself!!! There are so many things that are out of sight out of mind when it comes to houses and how they are built. I am sure many of us would be horrified by the findings. I hate to think what lurks in my walls. I know they are double brick with concrete floors upstairs and down, but still.....ekk!
OUch on the mamogram discription. I have yet to have one but with gracing 40 I am sure they are soon to come!:o Your festivities for you bro sound fun. I ill be sure to brace myself!

Mel...it's so nice to see that you survived and even got a Thank you! wow.
Yes I think your friend has wise advice. It is oh so good to have a friend who can give us some perspective. WTG on the weigh loss. That is so good :cheer: :woohoo: how cool is that diet cake? I have heard about doing that with scones adding 1 can of 7 u-p and 1/2 pint of cream! Not diet friendly tho but great with lashings if jam! :nono: Stand away from them NOW! :lol:

Rose, thank you so much for the advice on the crunches. I have heard that is is quality and not quantity and try to do this for all of my exercise. You are so right about doing something properly and seeing the changes. I know I am fully aware of my muscle groups I am using now, just from using them!
I love the way that you are all gooey when it come to talking about your new man. This is a good sign...your sweety :) I love it.

Lovely weekends to everyone :hug:
:grouphug:

:carrot: :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: Happy Happy Birthday Miss Madcat :cb: :cb: :cb: Conga Line!

Have a wonderful day, hope TH has a special surprise for you and make your birthday last all weekend long.

Take the rest of the day off, ok? Tell them I said it was approved. :rofl:

Have a wonderful birthday :yes: :woo: :dance: :hat: :gift: :flow1: :twirly: :balloons: :encore: :woohoo: :cheer2: :congrat: :sunny: :cheer: :grouphug: :hb:

Good morning folks,

Going to try and sneak in a quick post before class this morning.

Suzi, one of the best reasons for having a work out partner is that you can motivate each other :club: when one of you inevitably loses a bit of enthusiasm.

There's Shad with the hammer and nails again - why don't you just take out the ceiling, raise it to the roof and have a "catheral ceiling"? Be careful rummaging about up there. How nice that you will have everyone together for a reunion. Take some nice pictures - you won't regret it.

Mel, congrats on your scale victory :woohoo: I've heard of that cake recipe too but haven't tried it. Actually I haven't made a cake in ages. If someone does try that, let us know how it works out. I got such a good laugh from you mammagram post. :lol3: Thanks for sharing it! :D

Rose, thank you for the crunch info. Always good to get advice from someone who is knowledgeable. Actually I have modified the movements to more of a pilates / working the core type of movement. Please tho always feel free to pass along good advice. I have to smile about your "sweetie". It reminds me very much of one of the girls in the journal. She met a guy at work, fell head over heels for him and they eventually married. She always gushed about him and it was cute. Your posts remind me of that sheer delightful feeling. I think it's wonderful - so happy for you.

Loved the egg graphic Meadow. Are you keeping warm up there? You Canadians can take your cold air back anytime Missies - :rofl: A real brrrrrr today.

:hb: :hb: Happy, happy birthday to Madcat this morning :hb: :hb: When do we get cake and ice cream? :lol:

Ok, time has run out for me and I've gotten to the end of the posts I can read.

Hello Ceejay, Tig, Teel and Holly. :wave: Have a good one.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...yBirthday1.jpg

Happy Birthday to you :hb:
Happy Birthday to you :gift:
Happy Birthday dear Madcat :hat:
Happy Birthday to you :woohoo:

:twirly: :twirly: Thanks guys! :wave: I'm off from work today. DH is still asleep and I'll let him sleep in. We're planning on having breakfast here and then we'll head out, probably stopping in Niagara-on-the-Lake for lunch. Nothing too structured planned for the weekend, we're just going to go where the days take us. Probably spend some time in the new casino. I'd also like to do the Behind the Falls tour (if the weather lets it be open). Other than that, we're packing a bunch of books and a bottle of wine, and we'll just hang out and watch the falls from the Jacuzzi tub in our room:D

Oh, yeah, and it's my birthday. It feels weird. So I'm 45 now. I don't know what that is supposed to feel like, but I'm not sure it is supposed to feel like this. :joker: :shrug:

Morning, Happy :wave: Thanks for the permission to have the day off. Can I take today instead? :lol:

Suzi~ It's always such a trial to get back to normal after such an exciting time? Did I mention BTW that I really think your DH is the sweetest thing ever? I read your post about his PowerPoint presentation and just went *awwwww*. It's the thoughtful gifts that mean way more than anything anyone can just go out and buy.

Shad~ Funny but I think Happy and I were thinking along the same lines... Good place for a skylight maybe? :lol: Sorry you are having such a tussle with your ceiling. At least it will be fixed properly once you are done. You are right – there is something soothing about fans over "aircon". With fans I always feel cooled, with A/C I just feel cold… Good luck with pulling off your DB's surprise. Must be hard when dealing with a reluctant subject. If anyone can do it, you can. It sounds lovely.

Rosebush~ Thank you very much for the crunch info.

Mel~ CONGRATULATIONS on your loss. Looks as if it is working. Good going!! Keep it up. :cheer2:

OK, That is all I have time for. Gord will be wandering by shortly to get the apartment key. The kittens have Uncle Gordie to cater to their every whim this weekend. I haven't hear DH stir yet, I'm going to need coffee soon so I might have to go "stir" him. I can do what I want today… 'cuz it's my birthday!!! I'm sure DH'll be sick of hearing that by 11:30 or so. :lol:

Wave to the other chicks. Teel and Tig and Holly and PW and Java and Ceejay and Maedow and Carla and anyone else I missed. :wave: Take care all and everyone have a fabulous couple of days.

Shad~ Thanks for the balloons!

Goodbye Mrs Madcat!!
 

Had to read 2 pages to catch up!! HUGS!!!!!

My eventful career in home daycare is officially over. Most kids finshed yesterday. The last 2 today. I am celebrating all the lasts...like poopy diapers, food fights, van with 7 kids going to the library.......... I will miss the kids and parents not the job itself.

Looking to buckle down with my own kids.Need to do some behaviour tweaking and spend some nice one on one time.

Love you Gals!!!!

Waving earnestly Eastward :wave:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...adcat-bday.jpg

Morning all,

Madcats off on her weekend in the jacuzzi. Way to go Madcat. Have a great time.

Mels under the weather somewhat and I wonder why??? No it wasn't the cell door clanging shut, it was the sound of the clamp clamping shut while I practised thinking about what I would use it on. I can't get lost up in the attic since it is a very small attic and if I fell through the roof, I know exactly where I would land. And to shut myself in up there I would have to do it myself anyway. There is no way it could accidentally be done.

Happy - I'd love to make it into a cathedral ceiling. Unfortunately that's impossible. I could put a light tube in as Madcat suggested but won't. Not there anyway.

Suzi - no, I am not going to try to fix it. I have fixed it. It needed a batten over the top of it and I cut, fitted and glued and screwed one into place. Have to get back up there this morning to see if the glue is dry enough for me to plaster the crack yet again.

Dentist this morning. It's the 6 month check up - geez they come around fast. I got an early morning one. Luckily my body balance class is not on today - they are starting a 6 week fitness challenge at the club and will be weighing, measuring, registering and running a step and pump class instead. So I will go down to do my normal weights etc after the dentist. The electrician came yesterday - funny old coot. Doesn't like downlights, doesn't like fans, doesn't like halogens. But all I have to do is buy them and he will put them in for me. I think he thought I was going to do all the cheap stuff - he cheered up immensely when I told him I was intending to spend $$$ getting the right ones. Apparently those with small motors (and made in China) are pretty cheap and nasty. So having failed to get a recommendation out of him for a suitable lighting shop - except don't get cheap from the chains - I now have to try to find some stuff and he will come and put it in - with the DS2's help (he can't fit into roof cavities any more). So after some painting, gymming, dentistry, and shopping, I'll add some of the upmarket lighting joints to the list of things to do and go visit them this week.

With that, I'm gone - things to do, people to see, stuff to look at. :genie:

Wow Shad, you are literally rebuilding from the rafters. It's amazing what you've sunk into the house. Did you know going in that you were going to have to do alot of updating or was it more for your own personal taste? I've heard there are people like you who actually ENJOY doing the renovations :dizzy: I would too if I didn't have a job sucking away most of my time. I should say jobs because there's the paying job and then theirs the non paying job and the volunteer jobs and the community service jobs - you know how it goes. Our time is not our own. Next life I'm coming back as a man. :rofl: Or a cat - a cat that lives in MY HOUSE because the animals, birds and even the spiders that hang around my house do pretty well. Coming into the office this morning I saw a dead field mouse on the grass and I felt sorry for it - it was all curled up and I wondered if he spent his last moments shivering from the cold. What can I say, I'm goofy. :dunno:

Meadow - your pictures just get more and more beautiful!

Madcat, you weekend plans sound fantastic. If it wasn't your birthday I would be jealous. Don't worry about being 45, just hang on to those 40's as long as possible. :rofl:

Hey big sister Mel - make a deal with you - you rest this weekend and I will have fun next weekend. I can't believe Mom's party is almost upon us. Most of the people we invited will be there so it will be fun. I just hope the weather holds up. I am looking forward to the drive (somewhat) it does appear that we will be able to view some good leaf color as about 1/3 of our trees are turning too. Get some rest so that the preventative flu shot does not turn into a full blown cold for you.

There are "handymen" and I use the term loosely who drive around the neighborhood looking to do odd jobs. I live in an old section of town with lots of old trees that produce lots and lots and lots of leaves. So this is a lucrative time of year for some folks as there are people willing to pay someone to rake and bag up 40+ bags of leaves from their property. One such crew is across the street. Apparently their truck broke down and for the last 20 minutes they have been in the street with the hood up and the horn is stuck blaring very loudly. It stops for a few seconds and then starts again. This is not a very pleasant sound mind you. Unfortunately with the burglaries and criminal activity that goes on in this town, it makes you more and more hesitant to lend a hand to someone unless they are lying in the street bleeding. It's unbelievable the stories you hear on the news about how some folks scam others and take advantage of people's trust. One guy was in the hospital and an orderly stole his wallet and his identity and was charging up a storm on his credit cards because he knew the guy would not be home to receive phone calls or see the credit card bills for a while. It's disgusting what this world is coming to.

On another note they recently changed the rules in the town here that yard waste - including leaves must now be bagged in clear plastic bags only. No more use of black garbage bags. Now personally, up north we used brown paper bags for our yard waste - paper which quickly degrades. I think it's insane to put recycling stuff in plastic bags but of course that's my dumb thinking. Actually they changed the rules July 1. One of the reasons they want clear bags is to ensure that people are not mixing garbage with biodegradeable plant based waste. Now we're had at least 3 fliers delivered to our doors from the city about this, I've put it in the last 2 newsletters and we STILL have people putting yard waste in black plastic bags. Our neighborhood representative said that at the last town meeting the officials said they are getting tired of this already and are starting to consider sterner measures against people who won't comply. As I look across the street past the truck with the horn blowing, I see about 35 bags of leaves on my neighbor's lawn. They were gathered up by the people with the truck. Do you think the leaves are in clear plastic bags? If you said :yes: you are partially right. Do you think ALL the yard waste is in CLEAR plastic bags? If you said :no: then you must be able to see my house from your computer! :mag: Yes folks, at least 1/2 the bags are black, plastic garbage bags which the recycle people won't take on pick up day (which is NEXT Wednesday) so guess what a lovely view I have from my nice picture windows. And the bags are just thrown on top of each other so that means as the days go by, the bags will fall over into the street, rip and tear and the leaves will blow over to our side of the house which will make DH who has just spent 6 hours cleaning our yard look like this :mad: :headache: :bomb: :no: :yikes: :tantrum: I told him we should tell the guys who did the raking about the city rules but he said no, leave them alone. I don't agree because the homeowner who paid them shouldn't really be responsible and I'm SURE she won't be going out there rebagging the black bags into clear plastic ones.

My next house is going to be on a large plot of land, far away from people. I used to be afraid that if I was too remote, the aliens would come and capture me and perform painful experiments on me and the wild animals would scare me at night but I'm almost ready to chose them over people now a days.

And that's all I have to say. I think I'll go empty some boxes in the garage before I make DH buy me dinner.

And then I'll come back and catch up with the rest of you...